Research

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!Since the year 2000, our Research Department has been actively involved in studies investigating the Artificial Iris. We are thrilled to share that this device has finally been approved by the FDA! Click here to read more about this approval.

Minnesota Eye Consultants’ Clinical Research Department was created to ensure high quality pre-clinical and clinical trials in vision research. Clinical research is an important component of our practice because it extends new technologies to patients and increases the overall standard of vision care. Our physicians, surgeons and researchers have participated in vision research studies for years, and are among a select group of individuals whose contributions led to many of the refractive surgery technologies in use today.

Research study success begins with a dedicated team of researchers and medical personnel who have years of experience in clinical trials, consulting and management. The research team is comprised of ophthalmologists, doctors of optometry, fellow physicians, a clinical research manager, clinical research coordinators and technicians. Research activities are conducted within our metro-area clinics.

If you or someone you know has age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and has had a cataract removed, you may be a candidate for a new clinical trial that might help you regain some lost vision.Minnesota Eye Consultantsis one of only 20 sites in the country participating in a new study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a device called the Implantable Miniature Telescope (by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz) implant for patients with End-Stage AMD who have already had a cataract removed from the eye that will be implanted.

Zoster Eye Disease Study (ZEDS): Important Study on Shingles of the Eye

The Zoster Eye Disease Study (ZEDS), supported by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health, aims to determine the best treatment to reduce the complications of herpes zoster ophthalmicus, also referred to as shingles of the eye. Our goals are to have a diverse group of study participants and to make the study as accessible as possible across the United States and Canada. Your participation in this research study will enable us to find the best treatment for zoster/shingles of the eye.

The purpose of this research study is to determine whether a low-dose of antiviral treatment taken by mouth for one year reduces complications of the varicella zoster virus, including eye disease and chronic pain. This treatment is effective and widely used in a similar eye disease caused by a related virus. The antiviral medication has been approved for many years for the short-term treatment of acute zoster/shingles and other viral infections, and has an excellent safety record. The study is designed to obtain the highest quality evidence to determine optimal care for future patients.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with eye disease caused by zoster/shingles, you can learn more about ZEDS by calling Tessa at 952-567-6111, or you can call the ZEDS Coordinating Center at NYU Langone Health at 1-844-NYU-ZEDS (1-844-698-9337). You can also learn more on the ZEDS website or on clinicaltrials.gov.

Dry Eye Studies

TearSolutionsThank you for your interest in this study. This is an exciting clinical research study evaluating the efficacy and safety of a drop, Lacripep™, for the treatment of Dry Eye associated with Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome. This study will last approximately 8 weeks and will include 5 visits to our research clinic. You will be provided with ophthalmic drops of Lacripep or a placebo. A placebo is an inactive medication.

Key eligibility criteria include:

Age 18 years of age or older

Have a documented prior history or current diagnosis of Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome per the American-European Consensus Group Sjögren’s Syndrome Criteria

Have a history of dry eye-related ocular symptoms, and have used over the counter ocular wetting agents within the last 120 days

If you are interested in talking to a Study Coordinator about this study and whether or not you may qualify, please complete these questions. Information submitted is confidential and accessible only by our Research and Marketing Departments for the purpose of reviewing your interest and potential eligibility in research studies.

Eye Allergy Studies

We do not have any enrolling Eye Allergy studies at this time.

Glaucoma Studies

We do not have any enrolling Glaucoma studies at this time.

Conjunctivitis

Synchronize Do you think you may have conjunctivitis (pink eye)? Research studies are now enrolling. Adults and children of any age may be able to take part if they have pink eye symptoms (e.g. redness, watering), which must have started within the past 3 days.

Research Study Registry

Our Research Study Registry is a completely voluntary and secure database created and maintained by our research department. It allows our research staff to contact you about our current studies if we have one that appears to match your interests. These studies will have been previously reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board to evaluate the risks and benefits of each study.

Research Study Registry is not a research project – it is a registry of information about individuals who are interested in research and willing to be contacted about participation in research studies. If we contact you about a study, you are not required to participate in or volunteer for the study. If we provide you with information about an available study, it does not mean that Minnesota Eye Consultants is recommending that you participate in or consider participating in that study. And, you can always remove yourself from the Study Registry by emailing [email protected].

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Minnesota Eye Consultants is a comprehensive ophthalmology, eye care provider with various locations throughout Minnesota. If you are seeking Minnesota LASIK specialists and are interested in how laser vision correction could help you see better please contact us at your earliest convenience. Our LASIK counselors are here to help you determine the cost of LASIK, what happens during the LASIK procedure and how LASIK eye surgery can help your lifestyle. The eye doctors at Minnesota Eye Consultants are dedicated to helping our patients see better.